The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-12-16

TO welcome you 10 the CAPITAL City and to
wish you good fortune in your deiibera.
Tons
Delegated by the people TO assemble bere
and consider the affairs OF the common
wealth, You have In your hands the power
10 advance or retard the happiness and
prosperity of your constituents. aud feel
assured that feeling a due sense OF the
great responsibility you will give eonsei.
entIous thought aud laborions attention
to the trust.
CONDITION OF THE TERRITORY.
During the past summer and autumn
have visited nearly every plrt OF the jnr-
lsdiction aud have enG ayofed 20 ascertain
what were the wishes Of the people. |
found at every point evidences Of thrift
and prosperity. saw not only boundless
aud various natural resources. but popu
latlon of bright and a"tive men aud wo
men, who are well calculated 10 develop
those res Jurccs and make Washington one
OF the richest aud greatest states Of the
American Union. I also saw that eide by
side with material progress the people
were paying due regard 20 moral and In.
tellectual advancement. as evidenced by
churches. academies and common schools.
not only Ia the cities, but in the villages
aud beside the country roads, Harmony
aud good feeling seemed 10 prevail and the
/ people everywhere take pride 10 the com.
moawealth and place its wei are above
| their private interests. With such factors
/ the events OF the future wilt 80 far exceed
| the events Of the past, period for period,
aswiiI be beyond our comprehensive. our
various climates and the endless list Of
/ our nAtual resources will enable uA 10 ultI.
mately make the boast that there viii be
no blank in the census returns.
have endeavored TO make detailed
exhibit of the resources of the territory
/ in my annual report to the interior depart
mcnt, but owing 70 the lax methods OF
taking our census and the defective laws
governing assessment returns the exhibit
was not what hoped II would be. sug.
gest that Il would be well to amend the
laws 80 as 20 provide for better servicc
In taking the census. in addition to the
enumeration of the inhabitants, returns
should be made of the number of Iivs
stock. the cereal products, the hay crop,
and other items usually included In cen
sus. hope To be able 10 lay printed cop
les of the report to the interior department
before you before the session has far pro
gressed.
FINANCES.
submit herewith the report Of the ter
ritorial auditor and tarrit5fial treasurer
which together exhibit the financial con
ditlon OF the territory at the present time
Il viii be seen by the report Of the auditor
that the territory Is Ia debt for the frs
time In ten years. and that the indebted
! ness IS greater than at any previous timi
in It's history. At the close Of the biennia
period there was cash surplus Ia th,
treasury of over sso,0Je. and at the th,
close OF that period under consideration
there Is deficiency OF S75, f0O. The estl
mates for the next biennial period for al
items including liquidation of the presen
indebtedness IL sJl5. 90. The estimates
mads by other officers, however, for Tia,
particular institutions under their charge
! exceed the estimate made by the audito
for the same purposes by an aggregate o
, $4,000, which added to the total estimat.
Of the auditor makes a grand total o
s4i5c 90. These estimates should all b,
closely scrutinized, but should not b.
scaled to point affecting their usefulness
This enlightened people will expect you {,
exercise such prudence only as man o
Judgment would use in hi4 own all lirs
which Is To practice that degree OF tru,
economy in expenditures. which Will,
strictly avoiding extravaganza, will keel
every branch Of the pubic service up Il
the highest degree of efficiency. The deb
Is Insignificant compared with our prescn
wealth and population. and 1t would b.
better TO let IL stand than to stint the pub
lie institutions In the interest OF It's imme
diate payment
IL must be borne I'm mind. In considering
the present indebtedness. that we hav,
two very fine public buildings the hospI
] tai for the insane and the Walla Walll
penitentiary, both OF which were urgentl.
needed, In place of the cash. 1t must ais
be borne Ia mind In considering the means
OF replenishinR the treasury that the cos
OF these public buildings Is greater thar
the surplus OF two years ago and the pre-
ent indebtedness combined.
In order TO adjust our income to NEE
: the ends required, IL viii be necessary Il
make changes in the revenue laws, and
/ earnestly commend your honorable bod.
carefully to consider the valuable sugges
tions Of the auditor in that regard.
j PENITENTIARY.
( The reports Of the penitentiary buildint
commissioners and the superintendent o
that institution will exhibit the matters o
which they treat. Detailed statements arr
furnished in regard to the cost of the new
buildings at Walla Walls and estimates
for further improvements are submitted
Laws creating offices for the institution
and rules for it's government will have tC
be formulated at this session, as at present
they only exist by virtue Of an executive
order under color Of law.
The prison has been supported from ths